


Flies

by DarkEyedDreamer



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Happy Ending, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mild Horror, Orphanage, Teenagers, Weird Plot Shit, dead bodies, smol beans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 12:37:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11313558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkEyedDreamer/pseuds/DarkEyedDreamer
Summary: Dan's in trouble. Something dark is going on in the orphanage he's been staying at; but with no proof no one can do anything to help him. A boy who refuses to speak his own name has a plan to help them escape and take as many people with them as possible, but the evil lurking in this hallowed grounds does not plan to let them leave without a fight.





	Flies

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in like a few hours when I accidentally got side tracked from something else I was writing. I realized that starting off my other fic at an orphanage didn't make sense but I had already written like half a page and didn't want to stop, and so this was created.

In Hisgrove Orphanage flies were the first indication that someone had died. It wasn’t a good sign that there was always flies; or that each day the remaining kids had to take a headcount during breakfast and try to determine which of their roommates had dropped in the night. The people in charge never told them, insisted that children didn’t die here and that the rumor was just something the older kids started to scare the younger kids. Only it wasn’t a rumor; the older kids couldn’t fake the sight of bodies being whisked away in the middle of the night when the kids weren’t allowed to leave their beds. No one knew where they were being taken, just that they were never seen again and the public must not have been aware because no one was breaking down the doors trying to free them. They remained trapped here, waiting for either someone to adopt them (which never seemed to come) or until they too dropped dead. There seemed to be no hope. No use in trying to fight because there was no way to win.

Until the night when Dan heard the older kids talking at dinner. They spoke in low voices, but Dan had become surprisingly good at eavesdropping during his four year stay here. Oftentimes he used it on the adults, but whisperings were always something that the teenager found himself needing to know. Usually it was nothing important, gossip and unsubstantiated horror stories. They were planning an escape, planning on breaking as many kids out of here as they physically could. There was a boy who seemed to be leading the charge, and unsurprisingly it was Nameless; a raven haired boy who, rumor had it, had been here since long before the day Dan arrived. He never confessed his name to anyone, said that he gave it up the moment he arrived in this wretched place because here names didn’t matter. You were nothing to them, and Nameless wasn’t going to let them ruin the sound of the name his parents gave him. Even the workers themselves didn't seem to know it, or they didn't bother to speak it. Somehow, Dan knew that Nameless wouldn't react if he'd been called it. He wondered if the older boy even remembered it.

He cornered the older kids when the meal was over, trying to appear as casual as possible to the onlooking guards. “I want to help.” He announced in a hushed whisper. The older kids looked hesitant at first, glancing over at Nameless for his verdict.

He looked Dan over, and the fourteen year old (well, he was pretty sure he was fourteen, they didn’t count days here) tried not to wither under his harsh gaze. He wasn’t backing down from this, they needed extra help and he could do it, it didn’t matter if he was younger than them. In this place, he was pretty sure that didn’t mean much anyway. The adults here were bastards, so why would the older kids be better at anything inherently? It wasn't like they learned anything different. They read the same books from the same tiny library in this same hall every day. Dan would be damned if they thought they were any better than he was.

Nameless must have saw whatever he was looking for because he nodded. “You can recruit younger kids, tell them we’re leaving tomorrow night and to meet us in the corridor after lights out.”

Dan nodded his head, trying to push away at his nerves. Tomorrow night. “Okay. How many kids do you think we can sneak out?”

The kids all looked to Nameless once more, and there was a sadness on his face. He knew they couldn’t save everyone, and that was going to be heartbreaking. “Each team has one kid who memorized the map of this place. There’s six of us that know each exit by heart. We can each realistically sneak out four or five kids without the noise being disruptive.”

Thirty kids. Dan tried to think about how many kids there were here. At least seventy or eighty, give or take the few that probably went missing last night. So they could get less than half out without everyone getting caught. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach when he thought about how many people he was now in charge of leaving behind. But he nodded his head anyway, tried to think about how that meant thirty kids were going to be freed of this place. 

Nameless seemed to feel his pain, giving him a smile that didn’t mask any form of hurt. “I would do it, but it would be less suspicious if you talked to them, you know? Older kids talking with the younger ones is a lot more weird.”

Dan nodded his head. He knew, of course. But it didn’t make him feel any better.

-

That night Dan got there early, helping the older kids run through their escape plans. Mumbling them out loud seemed to help them remember it, although Dan had a hard time believing they would forget. It was their last chance of freedom, and they all knew it. No one ever left this place, not really. They just disappeared, flies appearing in their room for a few days before they moved on to the next target. There was never any form of goodbye. No one here really made friends, they were all too scared of what would happen when they lost their friend to whatever here was taking them away. Regardless, the kids must have been more brave than Dan thought because every single one of them showed up; breathing sighs of relief when they realized that there really were other people here and it wasn't a joke. Maybe they weren't brave, but desperate. The thought of death did that to people. When they were grouped off, Nameless asked Dan to come with him. The raven haired male led a group around the back of the home. It was probably one of the more dangerous of the treks, but splitting up was for the best if no one wanted to get caught.

"What are we going to do when we get out of here?" A boy of around Dan's age asked, eyes wary. People were always wary here.

"I have places on the outside willing to shelter you as long as you help out around the house or help pay rent. Or you can opt for the second option, getting fifty bucks and a bus ticket out of here." Nameless explained in a hushed tone.

The knowledge of a plan seemed to soothe the boy, but his eyes remained wary. "How did you get that kind of money?"

Nameless gave him a wry smile. "I have friends on the outside. They can't go to the police without proof of what's happening here, but they want to help."

Dan wanted to be excited about that. He could leave here, and he could have a home. A real home. But despite that, it felt like there was something gnawing on the inside of his stomach. There were kids still here, and if there was no proof that could link the police to something illegal then there would be kids here for a long time to come. Sure, Dan helped out about half of them, but more kids would replace them. This place could keep running for years and years, and it didn't matter if Dan helped these kids escape. It didn't even matter if these kids spoke up about what was happening. They didn't have any proof except the rumors, and sure the sound of bodies being wheeled away but had anyone even seen them? If they spoke up, they were likely to just end up right back here. No one had that kind of death wish.

Nameless was true to his word, and within ten minutes they were outside. It was an odd feeling, Dan hadn't truly been outside in years. He leaned down, brushing the dew-wet grass between his fingers while the other kids looked around for anyone that may have been grouped with the others. It wasn't long before they could see heads in the distance. Most of them were heading the other way, and Nameless explained that they had a special meeting point away from the orphanage. The less the group had the more likely they wouldn't be spotted. The wariness in the kid's eyes seemed to have melted away into something else entirely. Hope.

When they were being led away, Dan didn't follow. Nameless stopped, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Dan gave him as much of a smile as he could manage. "I need to go back. I need to get the proof."

A girl standing next to him looked at him as if he'd grown a second head, but she said nothing. She didn't have to, he knew that she must have thought him insane. He was outside for the first time in four years and he'd decided to go back. But if he didn't, who would? Nameless was the only boy brave enough to run away in the first place, and he couldn't get the proof because he was the only one who knew where these kids were allowed to stay. He was supposed to keep them safe. No one else ever had the guts to stand up to everyone in this place. So that left Dan. He didn't know if he was brave enough, but he damn well knew he was going to try. 

Nameless only sighed, nodding his head. He looked reluctant, but also understanding. Dan was stubborn, everything about him suggested as much. The older boy probably knew that he wouldn't be able to convince him of otherwise. So instead he moved closer, kneeling slightly because the younger teenager was comparatively short. Looking at him at eye level, Dan realized he had blue eyes. They were pretty, like the ones that Dan thought he remembered the girl who lived next door to have. They reminded him of the times before this place. They made him want to leave more than being outside in the first place. He glanced away, keeping himself from being caught up.

"I'm going to come back in two days. Try to get the proof by then, and bring out as many kids as you can when you do." Nameless insisted, and Dan nodded his head. He was a spy now, and he thought the older boy looked mildly proud.

"I'll meet you then."

-

The guards were having a meltdown. It was the next day, and thirty-six kids were missing from their seats. There were no flies, and Dan had to try his best not to smile. He had helped those kids. And he was going to help these ones too. He was going to keep this from becoming the fate of any other kid. Dan had a camera, an old one that his mother had given him on his last birthday with her. It was digital, perfect for what he needed it for. He was going to take pictures of the bodies, and where the kids disappeared to. He knew it was dangerous, possibly stupid, but he didn't know what other proof he could get. Other than the disappearing kids and horrible adults, this place seemed relatively normal.

He spread the word in whisperings of another escape. He was possibly a little arrogant, but he figured if he could lead out another six if he took the route that Nameless had showed him. He picked the kids he knew would show up, ones that seemed a little too scared of this place to chicken out of an escape. He wanted to make sure he was making a difference here. If his plan went accordingly then the rest of them would be out within the next day. The place would be shut down and become nothing more than a ghost story with a too-real history. He didn't know what they would do once they got out, he was sure that Nameless didn't have enough friends to support them all, but the city would have to do something to keep them safe. They'd be in the middle of the public eye, a bunch of orphans who lost their families and then nearly lost their lives, the city council wouldn't be able to afford to let them down again. Dan didn't trust humanities urge to help each other, but he did trust their need to save face.

Once the kids were all in agreement to go, Dan waited for the night. He didn't feel right, waiting for someone to die. But he didn't know what else he could do. If he got caught trying to find where they hide the bodies then he'd for sure be their next victim. He couldn't afford that, he was trying to help save everyone. If he died, then who was going to get the proof? Someone would eventually, he hoped, but they couldn't wait for eventually.

It didn't matter anyway, because after lunch they had a room check. He heard one of the older kids whispering about how they were looking for evidence someone knew about the escape. Dan wasn't sure what exactly they would take, but knew a functioning camera would be seen as a horrible problem for them. Something they could easily pretend to take to search. He made a beeline for his room, attempting to look as casual as possible. He had to hide his camera. Could he put it on the window ledge? No, nothing to keep it steady there and just resting it would be far too noticeable. He made it to his room without difficulty and was relieved to find no one there. He had to think...

Five minutes later, the guard was walking into his room with a mean looking snarl on his face. He looked like the type of guy who would punish everyone for one persons mistake, and that seemed to be like what he wanted to do. That's what all the adults here wanted to do. Dan tried to look innocent from where he was lying on the bed, pretending to read a book. The guard yanked him up into a standing position by his shirt, and Dan yelped in surprise. He wanted to swear when he was pushed aside, wanted to spew every sarcastic word he had ever learned, but he refrained. He needed to appear like a good kid if he wanted to get this guy out of here fast. He let him search the bed twice, looking over every nook and cranny and tossing Dan's mattress to the floor. Dan held himself in place, hands folded neatly in front of him.

"What are you looking for, maybe I can help." He offered politely, trying to make it come out with as little sarcasm as he could manage. He was surprised by now nice it sounded when he really just wanted to punch the guy.

"Don't need any of yer damn help ya little rat." He responded heatedly, and Dan nodded. 

He remained silent as the man checked the window- for what, Dan wasn't sure- and then the rest of the small room. He checked the drawers of his dresser with the same messy-attitude as he had with the bed. Dan wondered if it would be seen as rude to start cleaning while the guy was still in here, because the way the room was beginning to look bothered him. His parents always hated when his room was a mess, but he didn't say anything about it. He knew it wouldn't go over well. When he got to the closet he began tossing the clothes to the floor like he had with the mattress, leaving his room looking like it'd been struck by a tornado. He was going to have to clean all this up, and he was pretty sure the guy was making it as messed up as he physically could. When he pulled back the camera, Dan's heart sank into his toes. 

"Where did ya get this?" The guard asked, turning it around in his hands.

Dan looked at him, attempting to look sheepish. "It was my moms. It doesn't work or anything, I think it's broken. But it makes me think of her." He mumbled innocently, looking down at his feet.

The man looked it over a little longer before seeming to notice the lack of batteries and laughing harshly. "It ain't broken. It's got no batteries you idiot."

Dan flushed red, and he fought hard to pretend it was out of embarrassment and not anger. "Oh. I guess I didn't think about that."

The guard tossed it back on the bed unceremoniously. "You kids don't think about much." He muttered as he moved on to the next room, slamming the door shut loud enough to make the teenager jump. He was alone. 

Dan fought back a smile. "More than you might think." He mumbled to himself, pulling the batteries from his pocket.

-

That night, Dan waited for the sounds of wheels against the cold linoleum floor. They came long after dark, and Dan wished he knew the time. It'd be easier to document, although he was pretty sure that wouldn't be the important factor here. He waited for the noise to grow quieter before peering out of his room. He could still see the woman, one of the guards who they called a nurse, and he snapped a photo of her. She was wheeling a definitely body-shaped bag on tops of a cart. He followed after her noiselessly, keeping his distance because being spotted now meant certain death. He needed more proof. He needed something undeniable. Something that would get the police here as soon as they saw it. As he went, he made sure to take pictures of the signs they had written on the walls. Proof of where he was when the photo was taken.

When the woman disappeared into one of the rooms, Dan took a picture of the door. He waited for her to come back, hiding behind the corner. It wasn't hard to imagine what she was doing, but at the same time his imagination ran wild. Is this going to be where he finds the bodies of all the victims? Would he be able to figure out what's causing this, and why the hell these crazy people were killing kids in the first place? In some way, Dan knew it was probably connected to money. That's always what it was with grownups. If someone did something horrendous, it was because there was enough money involved. He hoped he never became like that if he lived long enough to see adulthood. He tried not to think about 'if' being the key word, tried to level his breathing. He had to survive through this. If he didn't then these pictures were never going to get found, and he needed them to be found. He could worry about dying when these kids were getting pulled out of the orphanage by the handfuls.

When the lady left, there was no longer a body on the cart. Just the bag, which was offputting because that meant Dan was for real about to see a body. He tensed, watching her disappear into the dark without once looking back. Like she didn't even feel bad. The knowledge made him sick. What kind of horrible person could do this job? Who cared about money that much?

He opened the door before he could scare himself out of it, shutting it behind him so that no one had the mind to look. He doubted they wanted to be in there any longer than needed. The smell that his his nose told him that, even if they got over the sight. Dan closed his eyes tightly, not yet wanting to look. He knew that smell. Knew it from the worst day of his life. The day before he got sent to this hellhole. He knew that someone had died here. Maybe not died in this room, but there was definitely a dead body in here now. He gripped his camera in his hands and contemplated taking the pictures without opening his eyes. He brushed it away, knowing that with his luck he'd take pictures of something that wasn't what he needed it to be.

He counted to ten, because a deep breath would not be calming here. When he'd finished counting to ten, he counted to fifteen. Working up the nerve to look at a dead body took a lot longer than ten seconds, and when he opened his eyes he froze anyway. There wasn't a dead body, there was a dozen of them. Laying crumpled in the corner as if they were just something to be thrown away. Dan took pictures of the room, the creepy looking vials and flasks and symbols. He didn't want to move closer to the bodies, but realized he had to if he wanted it to be clear they weren't just kids pretending. He got as close as he dared, taking a few pictures before he all but ran back to his room. 

He put the sim card in his pocket and buried himself in the blanket on his bed. He did not sleep.

-

The next day, he warned the remaining kids not to eat the food. Those vials looked too much like poison, and Dan was willing to bed that that's where it was going. The food was what was making those kids disappear, but that it if they didn't eat then the adults had no power over them. He warned them to make sure they looked as if they'd eaten, but not to actually do so. Only one plate per night was spiked with the shit, as far as Dan could tell from the amount of kids going missing, but he was going to try to save every single one of them.

"Won't we get starved out and die anyway? I mean, poison is at least a one-in-seventy chance. Starvation is way more likely." A pig-tailed girl asked with a frown written on her features. Dan shook his head.

"In two days, we won't ever have to worry about this again. I promise. Just give me until then." He pleaded. The kids didn't believe him, but with all the things that have been happening in the last week they must have had just enough hope to agree.

Dan just hoped that he wasn't wrong.

-

Dan handed Nameless the camera, and he smiled at the younger boy in awe. "You actually got pictures? What was it like?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Alright, come on then. There's a shelter house you guys can stay after overnight while I go and get these pictures to the police tomorrow morning." He replied, and the other kids seemed quick to move closer to him. The thought of a warm house that wasn't filled with dead bodies was always appealing.

Dan shook his head slowly, and he was beginning to think that him staying behind was a habit of theirs. "I have to stay here until the police come. I need the kids who are still here to know I didn't ditch them. That we still have something to hope for."

Nameless hesitated this time. "Dan they'll know it was you this time. They have to have noticed that you talked to all the kids that went missing. The first time they probably called it a coincidence because you would have left too, but now they'll have to know what you're doing."

The brunet sighed, he knew that already. "I had to wait until that kid died. I already had to do something awful for the greater good once. This time, the greater good means that those kids don't feel left behind again. I promised them that tomorrow would be our last day here. If I'm gone, they'll think I left them out."

The boy nodded slowly, because he knew that Dan was right. The likelihood that they would eat the food tripled if they thought that Dan's plan had taken off without them. The school was trying to cover their tracks from the kids that went missing, there was no telling what they might do. They could even decide to just kill them all with it and start over. He couldn't have that no matter the risk was. He needed to be there to make sure that those kids were alive and ready to go when the police came to get them.

"Well is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah, can you give me the name I should tell the police when I ask where you are?"

Nameless smiled, leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Phil."

-

Dan was in trouble. During breakfast, he'd been pulled away and taken to a dark looking room he'd never seen before. The woman from last night was in the corner, and so was the guard who brought him there. Most unsettling though was the fact that the headmistress was sitting at the opposite end of the table, face partially covered in shadows. She looked sadistically pleased to see him, and Dan was pretty sure he was going to die. Phil had been right.

"You should have left with those kids, Daniel." She said with a cold laugh. "Trying to play the hero never got anyone anything but killed."

The boy grit his teeth, years of pent up anger swelling beneath his veins. He was going to die here, he might as well put up some form of a fight. "I think Harriet Tubman might have disagreed with you on that." 

"Shut up you little creation." The guard snarled, grabbing Dan by the back of his shirt. Dan flinched at the feeling of his collar digging into his neck.

"Big word for someone who was obviously hired for his brawn and not his brain." Dan snarled in return. The only thing going through his head was that he was going to die, and he knew it. But those kids in the cafeteria were going to be safe soon. And that was Dan's fault. "Do you even know what it means?"

There was a pain in his stomach, and then he was tumbling to the floor. The pain didn't stop, and his only thought was to raise his arm to cover his face when a boot kicked his mouth. He let loose with more swears than he even remembered knowing. Screaming was a lot less embarrassing than crying, but he wasn't sure that he wasn't doing that too. He wanted to give them as little satisfaction as possible.

"Tell us where they are Daniel." The headmistress demanded, and suddenly the kicking stopped.

He glanced up at her, and realized she still had that bastard smile on her face. "Go. Fuck. Yourself."

He received another sharp kick to his ribcage, and screamed in pain when he realized that cracking noise might have been his bones. Dying was more painful than he thought it would be. He should have eaten the poison. At least then he would have been able to not be hungry when he died. But then again, he was pretty sure eating the poison would have resulted in everyone else doing it too, and he wasn't about to risk his life getting those pictures just to cause a fucking mass suicide hours before the police got there.

"That was the wrong answer. Lets try again. Something easy. Who else helped you get them out?"

Dan laughed, and he tasted his own blood on his teeth. He smiled at her anyway, and it was genuine. "They're already gone. It was just me. I got the second group out, I took the pictures, I got them to police..."

There was a shriek. "You did what?" 

"Despite my broken ribs, I'm pretty sure I didn't stutter."

"Why you little-"

The sound of running footsteps echoed in the halls, and the guard tore open the door in time to see guards running past them, yelling about getting out of there. Dan was pretty sure they weren't going to get far. Through the pain, he allowed himself to feel hopeful. The guard ran out, seeming to have lost his allegiance to the woman still sitting horrified in her seat.

"What do we do?" The nurse was saying, and the pain in Dan's ribs seemed to be worsening. He was pretty sure his adrenaline was winding down at the prospect of help arriving, and he needed to get to a hospital.

The headmistress didn't seem to hear her, because she was standing up and stalking over to Dan, who only tensed up. He was in too much pain to think about getting up right now. Her foot came down, and then suddenly the adrenaline was back because Dan was rolling out of the way, arm placed defensively over his abdomen. He was pretty sure he'd rather his teeth get knocked out than have one more kick to his fucking ribs. He managed to sit with his back against the wall, feeling a little less exposed this way. She stormed at him again, and he brought his foot up to kick her chest. He wasn't going to die with help minutes away. He just wasn't.

The feeling of her fingers on his throat made it seem like he didn't have much of a choice though, and all the adrenaline in the world wouldn't keep him conscious after too long. Struggling turned weak in her hands, and Dan saw nothing but black.

-

Dan woke up. He was in a hospital, there was no doubt considering the white walls and smell of sterilization. There were people in the room. Some of them were kids from the orphanage, one of them was a uniformed police officer, and one of them was Phil. He was standing the closest, bags under his eyes which Dan was pretty sure weren't there when they last spoke. He must have been getting pretty terrible sleep at that home he was talking about. Dan would have made a joke about how much worse sleep he probably got, but the effort felt like too much. He wanted to go back to sleep, but he didn't think he wanted to disappoint all the watching eyes.

"Is this to make up for all the birthdays I missed, because it's a shitty party." He said, voice coming out raspy. How long had he been asleep? Or was that normal after someone tried to choke you to death.

"Dan!" One of the younger girls squealed, running closer to the bed. "You're awake!"

Phil snorted, looking down at her. "I told you he'd wake up. It's just morphine to help the pain. He got really messed up."

"When am I not messed up?"

"Well hopefully after this gets fixed you won't be for a while."

"We'll see."

The kids were all talking at once, and from what Dan could piece together the workers at the orphanage had all been arrested. Escaping hadn't really mattered when the place had all their names on file. The city was planning on demolishing the place, and even if that became too expensive they for damn sure weren't going to use it anymore. Apparently on top of all the bodies, they were breaking a lot of fire codes. Dan thought it was stupid that was the reason they weren't ever going to re purpose the building. The dead bodies probably should have been enough.

"How long was I asleep?"

Phil snorted. "You've been in and out for like four days."

"Really? Damn I missed my hero moment."

"I wouldn't say that, I think they want you to give a speech."

Dan laughed, and that hurt even with the morphine, so he winced. The police officer seemed to take that as some sort of cue to round up the kids. They were probably going to get something to eat. Or maybe to find a nurse. The fact that he was talking was probably something his doctor was going to want to know. Dan watched them go and tried not to be worried about them. Since when was he supposed to be the worried one? He was the one in the hospital people were supposed to be worried about him. They probably were. Phil looked like it at least.

He waited until the door shut to speak again. "What about all the kids? Where are we going to go?"

Phil stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Apparently a lot of people like to play the hero. Most of the kids have families looking to adopt them, or at least foster them. The city council included. Trying to save face, I guess."

Dan nodded his head. He figured that was the case. He was just happy that the kids were finally going to have somewhere to live other than that damn prison. Or worse, technically. Prisons didn't typically get caught killing the inmates. "What about me?"

"The city is paying for your medical bills, for one. And one of those friends of mine offered to take you in. A lot of families are interested in the kid who saved everyone." Phil explained softly.

Dan snorted. "You started it. I wouldn't have even thought about it until you orchestrated the escape plan."

Phil shrugged his shoulders, gesturing to the camera sitting beside Dan on the table. "I never thought about that. I didn't think about what was going to happen long term. You did."

"Are we going to see each other after I get out of this hospital room?"

"Definitely."

Dan let a smile play on his lips. "Good."

-

Dan rested on the couch for a few weeks after he got let out, letting his ribs heal so it didn't hurt when he moved around anymore. Phil's friends, as it turned out, were college kids majoring in journalism. They'd found Phil when they were trying to see what it was like to live inside the illusive orphanage, and believed him when he spoke of the horrors suspected to take place. Dan liked them, was thrilled they'd been so willing to help out. He was pretty sure they liked him too from the way they kept hinting he should just go and date Phil already. The boy was over everyday anyway, they may as well make it official. 

Three weeks into his new living arrangement he did.

It was the day he was supposed to make that stupid speech, now that the bruises on his neck had all but vanished. He knew everyone had seen them, seen the pictures that had been flying around online of him when he first arrived at the hospital. People closer to the stage would probably still be able to see them, since they knew to look. Still, Dan had remained stubborn that he didn't want to host this stupid event until after he was mostly healed. The extra time didn't help him much. He still didn't know what he was supposed to say, stumbled over his words more than a few times. They wanted to know why he did it. Why he went back and set up the plan to help everyone instead of himself. He thought that was stupid. People were supposed to care about others. He just seemed to care about them enough to risk his life for them. He wasn't thinking too clearly. He just wanted to make sure that people stopped dying. If he would have left without even attempting to do something then anyone who died after was on his conscience. He didn't want that. Orphans have typically tended to go through enough without adding on homicidal people taking care of them. 

Despite thinking he didn't have any right to be making it, his speech must have gone over well, because people applauded him when he stepped off the stage. His ribs were still sore, and he was sure he was walking stupidly. The crowd probably ate it up, though. People always seemed to like it when the hero had battle scars. Something to prove what he had done.

Phil was waiting for him behind the stage. "You did good."

"I did good when I actually helped people, this was just to selfishly self-promote myself."

"I don't think you did anything selfishly, Dan."

Dan snorted, shaking his head. "You have a lot of faith in me. I do selfish things all the time."

"Like what?"

The younger of the two hesitated before leaning up on his tiptoes and kissing Phil lightly. "Like that."

Phil smiled. "I think I like you being selfish."


End file.
